Eddie Howe has warned Newcastle want to be as big as Manchester United on and off the pitch.
And the Geordie chief has responded to Man United boss Erik Ten Hag branding Newcastle ’s style as “annoying” before the Carabao Cup final. The two United’s go head to head in the battle for a top four Champions League berth on Sunday, with Newcastle bucking all the trend that the biggest money talks.
This season has reignited the rivalry between the two Northern powerhouses, for the first time since they tussled for the title in the 1990s. In the coming days the Geordies will report a turnover of around £180m, up from £142.9m, compared to £583m at Old Trafford. Their annual wage bill is around £120m compared to Ten Hag’s £380m. But Howe says tactics, team spirit and improving players is the key to the Tyneside club’s rebirth this season.
That is all likely to even up when the Saudi owners fix up massive new sponsorship deals this summer giving Howe more spending power within FFP rules.
Howe said: “You can buck that trend. It is possible. It is not easy to do. Back to my early coaching experiences and we were always trying to buck the trend, going in with teams with far superior budgets to us year after year.
“When you ask how? Team spirit, togetherness, implementing a plan. Hopefully everyone is on the same page and working harder than everyone else. It is a simple blueprint that I have always tried to use. When you get to the elite level it gets harder and harder. You believe in the squad you have and I believe we can do that.
“Off the pitch? There are ambitions for the club to grow income. It is vital we do that because of financial fair play. We are going to be restricted depending on our income. I know that is the challenge everyone at the club is trying to find answers to.
“There are a lot of clubs with bigger budgets than us. I’ve said all along, our success is not based on money at all. I’m seeing the work and the spirit and the togetherness of the group, what every player is giving to the cause.
“When a team is successful it is not down to one thing, it’s a collective and a lot of different aspects go into that. It’s the same if a team isn’t performing well, We will keep doing what we are doing.”
Sunday’s clash is their first since the Carabao Cup final which the Reds won 2-0. Ten Hag tried mind games before the Wembley game saying Newcastle were “annoying” because of their disruptive tactics.
Howe hit back on Friday saying: "The game management stuff has been overblown massively towards us in the media. That's just my opinion.
“I can't speak for how they are preparing their teams and what they are saying in the media. The main part of the game is we have to play well. We have to be really good in possession and really good out of possession.”
Howe wants his players to “enjoy” the race for European qualification, not be burdened by it. He added: “Expectations rise and you try to keep up with that demand when you're winning games. The pressure doesn't feel any different when you're sitting in this seat.
“We have to relish every moment, why not enjoy it and embrace the challenge, rather than fear where we are? We are there on merit and want more.”
